If you know me or have followed me on social media any length of time you likely know that stargazing is one of my favorite things. David and I both love to spend an hour or so admiring the beauty of the night sky. No matter what our day has been like, this ritual relaxes us and brings us some much-needed peace.

How to Create a Stargazing Ritual

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Our ritual is simple and only requires a few things:

zero gravity chairs

One of the best purchases we’ve ever made have been these chairs. They recline way back which makes them perfect for stargazing. Of course, you could also lie on a blanket if you live somewhere that isn’t infested with all the creepy crawlies we have out in the country in Oklahoma. But in our case, being up off the ground is essential and these chairs are really comfortable.

something to sip on

Sometimes we’ll each take a glass of wine out with us or perhaps hot tea, coffee or hot chocolate – depending upon the weather and what we’re in the mood for. On a weekend we might choose whiskey (me) and rum (David). In order to keep hot drinks hot or to keep bugs out of whatever we are sipping, we usually use our Klean Kanteens.

a clear, dark night

This last is the one we don’t have control over but that also makes those perfect-condition nights all the more special. Here in Oklahoma it can be miserably hot and humid in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. We really make an effort to take advantage of those times when the temperature is tolerable.

Most of the time we simply lie back and enjoy the view. We like to watch for satellites and shooting stars. David has an app on his phone that shows the constellations so we can identify what we are looking at.

Occasionally we’ll bring the telescope outdoors when there is something in particular we want a good look at. David is notoriously difficult to buy for so I was pretty pleased with myself when I came up with the idea to buy him a telescope a few years ago. This is the one we have. It’s not super fancy or expensive but it suits our amateur purposes. A pair of binoculars can also be helpful and less expensive.

If you’d like to start a stargazing ritual all you really need is a clear, dark night. However, it’s also fun to learn a bit about what you are looking at. Here are a few sites you might find interesting:

Have you noticed how casual our society has become? I’m not just talking about the pajama-wearing folks at Walmart (although perhaps that deserves a post of its own) but it’s becoming increasingly rare for people to dress up for much of anything other than weddings. And goodness knows I’ve even been to a few of those where guests were wearing clothes more fit for yard work than celebrating the beginning of a couple’s lives together.

So we decided to host a Mad Men party.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

David is actually the one who came up with the idea. When we were in California recently we went to Lawry’s Prime Rib restaurant in Beverly Hills to celebrate our 35th anniversary. This was where David had proposed to me back in 1980. In those days men were required to wear a coat and tie. We had no idea that there was no longer a dress code. There are still a couple of restaurants in New Orleans which require a coat and tie (Galatoire’s, for instance) so we just assumed the same was true for Lawry’s.

We were rather surprised, and a bit disappointed, to discover that there is no formal dress code anymore. From what I saw, David was the only one in a coat and tie. In fact, there were men there in shorts…and FLIP FLOPS! The waitresses were still wearing the same uniform style they’ve worn since the restaurant opened in the ’30s and everything else is just as formal as ever.

I will say that it was mostly the men who were dressed inappropriately. A lot of the women were wearing dresses which only made the men with them look all the more ridiculous. Come on, guys, when you ask a young lady out for a date and take her to a fancy restaurant up your game a bit. At least put on long pants and real shoes.

So that’s where the idea for a Mad Men party came from.

David actually made two events on Facebook, one for dinner at a local restaurant and a second for an after-party at a local wine and dessert bar. Then he sent out invitations. We were pleasantly surprised by the response. Everyone thought this was a great idea! I didn’t count but I would guess we had close to 20 people at the dinner and even more at the after-party.

It was so much fun to see everyone all dressed up. Many of the women not only got dressed up but dressed in fashions from the Mad Men era. Several of us even had petticoats under our dresses and I wasn’t the only one wearing gloves.

As beautiful as the women were, it was the men who surprised me. Most wore suits, even some who had never worn a suit before. (Goodwill got a lot of business from our crowd just before this event.) They all looked wonderful! And I think they were pretty pleased with themselves, too.

We had such a fabulous time and we all agreed this should be a regular event. We’re thinking monthly. “Dress-up Saturdays” or “Fancy Fridays”? Something like that. We are also going to plan a group trip to Goodwill for those who want to add some dressier items to their wardrobe without spending a fortune.

David insisted I buy a new dress for this event. I didn’t have time for a trip to the city but I found two dresses on Amazon which I thought might work. They each came with a free return policy and shipped in two days so I figured I had time to try something else if they didn’t fit. Fortunately, they both did. And since they were only around $25-30 each David insisted I keep both. These are the ones I bought:

And of course, dresses like these need a petticoat. I bought this one for only $11.99:

I already had a vintage-looking purse and gloves from an event we attended about 20 years ago. I wore my good pearl necklace and matching bracelet plus vintage pearl drop earrings.

It really was fun getting all dressed up and I’m truly looking forward to next time. We are also talking about hosting a dressy cocktail party at our home sometime soon.

In the meantime we are enjoying watching Mad Men all over again. We bought the first season on DVD and I’m sure we’ll end up buying the rest. This is definitely something we’ll watch repeatedly.

Part of my ongoing project for “creating a beautiful life” includes an afternoon tea ritual. I’m happy to drink tea anytime but setting aside a special time in the afternoon to take a break gives me a bit of breathing room during a busy day.

Create an afternoon tea ritual

There is something about preparing a perfect cup of tea which becomes a true pleasure when approached as a ritual. Choosing the tea, selecting just the right cup and saucer, heating the water to the correct temperature, brewing exactly the right amount of time and adding the desired amount of milk and sugar…a perfect cup of tea doesn’t just “happen”.

I have quite a collection of teas and am always on the lookout for others. In fact, if you have a favorite you’d like to recommend, please leave me a comment.

I also have a collection of pretty cups and saucers which I like to use for my afternoon tea ritual. A mug is fine for coffee but for tea, I find a proper cup and saucer adds a little touch of elegance which I enjoy.

After I prepare the tea I like to curl up in my chair in the library and sip slowly while reading a book or listening to music. Such a lovely way to enjoy a break in the afternoon!

Books About Tea

If, like me, you enjoy the ritual of tea or would like to start doing so, here are some books and other resources you might enjoy:

I’ve been interested in home design ever since I was a tiny little girl “playing house” with my dolls. In junior high I sent away for information about becoming an interior decorator. So it should come as no surprise that some of my favorite blogs focus on design.

Do you write thank you notes or do you think it’s an outdated custom? I may be old fashioned but I still think a handwritten thank you note is a lovely idea.

My mother was a real stickler for thank you notes and passed that along to me. I feel like if someone took the time to select a gift or do something nice for me, writing a note of appreciation is only right.

Other than for wedding presents this custom seems to be well on its way out of common practice. I always made my kids write thank you notes for birthday and Christmas gifts but rarely received them from their friends. Some of our nieces and nephews did but more of them did not.

You may disagree with me and that’s fine but here are my reasons for writing thank you notes:

If the gift was mailed a thank you note tells the sender that the gift was received. Many a time I’ve worried that a gift was lost in the mail and didn’t want the intended recipient to think I hadn’t bothered to give them a gift.

Expressing gratitude is always appropriate.

Teaching children to write thank you notes gives them experience in something that they may very well be called upon to do as an adult.

It’s a pleasure to receive something other than bills and junk mail. I’m always so pleased to receive a handwritten note because it’s so rare these days. We’ll talk about writing actual letters one of these days, too!

There is something special about gracious gestures, especially when they are no longer expected. It’s like using cloth napkins or ironing pillow cases. These things may not be necessary but they elevate ordinary life just a bit with minimal effort.

If I’ve managed to convince you that thank you notes are a good idea and something you’d like to start doing, here are some helpful tips.

Purchase a pack of thank you notes, address labels and stamps to keep on hand. If you don’t have to make a special trip to the store and/or post office, the task is more easily accomplished in a timely manner.

Decide on your own personal deadline for writing notes after receiving a gift, attending a special party or being a guest in someone’s home. Ideally, the sooner the better but in general I try to do it within 2 weeks. Weddings are different, though, especially when the guest list is large. Emily Post says wedding gift thank you notes should be sent within three months of the wedding. Even that seems like a long time to me and I would hate to have that hanging over my head for that long. But from an etiquette standpoint, three months is fine.

Don’t feel like the note needs to be long or use extremely formal language. Just a few sentences are fine.

If you are a bit unsure about how to compose a thank you note, here is a general template of sorts:

Greeting

Thank recipient for gift, party, hospitality, etc.

One or two sentences about the gift. Why you like it, how it is a perfect choice for your home, just the right color, etc.

Feel free to write more but even three or four sentences of heartfelt gratitude are sufficient. Don’t let perfectionism prevent you from writing anything at all.

Adding gracious touches to our own lives and those we care about is an important part of “creating a beautiful life”. Instead of thinking of it as a dreaded chore, imagine the recipient looking through their daily mail and instead of just bills and junk mail there is a sweet note from you. Knowing that your effort brightened someone’s day makes it all worthwhile.

I’ll never forget my first truly memorable trip to Oklahoma. I was about 11 or 12 years old at the time. My mom and aunt loaded up our station wagon and took off from California with me, my two brothers and my cousin on a two week road trip to visit relatives in Oklahoma, Tennessee and Missouri.

I have only the faintest memories of a trip with my parents when I was about three so this was my first real experience with Southern hospitality. And I was absolutely enthralled with it.

Everywhere we went we were made to feel welcome. I still remember being fascinated by the fact that everyone from relatives to grocery store cashiers would say something like “Y’all come back now, ya hear?” whenever we parted. You certainly didn’t hear that in Southern California where we lived at the time.

And the food! Everyone wanted to feed us. At one point my aunt called her cousin when we got to the town where he lived. I don’t recall all the details but his wife’s parents were with them and absolutely insisted that we all come to their house for lunch. We didn’t know them at all but they couldn’t have been kinder. They fed all six of us a simple lunch and iced tea served in mason jars.

We encountered this type of hospitality everywhere we went. Sometime I’ll tell you about the few days we spent with one of my grandmother’s sisters who owned a little country store and lived in the house attached to it. But this story is about my Aunt Hazel and her special brand of hospitality.

Aunt Hazel was actually my great aunt. She was married to my grandfather’s brother, Tom, and they were two of the nicest people I’ve ever known. They lived in a two-story house in town but on 5 acres. It was a simple, comfortable, farm house style – white with red shutters. I don’t remember ever going in the front door, everyone entered through the kitchen door at the side of the house.

Downstairs there were two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room with a dining area, small kitchen and tiny breakfast nook. Upstairs were three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It was an old-fashioned, comfortable house and I’ve never felt more at home anywhere.

I think of Aunt Hazel often, especially when I’m expecting guests. This past weekend we hosted our annual three-day music festival and had about 200 people camping in our backyard for the weekend. Everyone is supposed to bring their own food for the weekend but experience has taught me that there will be some who underestimate how hungry they will get after dancing for several hours.

Wednesday before the event I picked up what I thought were all the groceries I’d need except for chicken which I planned to get on Friday. Well, on my way to Aldi’s I decided I might need to pick up a few extras – just in case. I started thinking about Aunt Hazel and how she was always able to feed unexpected guests.

She always seemed to have a ham and homemade coleslaw in her refrigerator. There were always a few cans of baked beans in the cupboard she could heat up and a loaf of bread. And her cookie jar was always full of cookies she made from a cake mix and just a few other ingredients. Of course, there was always a pitcher of sweet tea on hand, too.

Her meals were usually simple but there was always enough. No one went hungry at her house.

So I thought about this as I pushed my cart (or buggy, as we call them here in Oklahoma) up and down the aisles at Aldi’s. Even though I just came for chicken I found myself putting a couple of small, sliced hams in the cart. And then a head of cabbage for coleslaw. A few cans of baked beans and several loaves of bread, too. I guess I was channeling Aunt Hazel.

I used to have a tendency to get a little uptight preparing for guests. I wanted everything “just so”. But the older I get and the more I remember how Aunt Hazel did things the more relaxed I get about it. She didn’t get worked up into a tizzy scouring every inch of her house before people came over. She used to say that she had “clean food and clean beds”.

She had a system for those beds, too. Guests slept in one of the three upstairs bedrooms and she had a lot of guests. She could have worked herself to death climbing those stairs and changing sheets. But she solved the problem in a rather brilliant way. She told people that if they wanted clean sheets to help themselves from the large linen closet at the top of the stairs but to leave those on the bed when they left. She just left it to her guests to deal with the sheets.

I’m rather fastidious about bed linens so I’m not sure if I’ll ever get around to using her system but I am trying to adopt her relaxed attitude toward hospitality in general. I’ve got a long way to go and I’ll likely never be as relaxed a hostess as Aunt Hazel. But it’s something I really intend to practice.

Last night I had the opportunity to witness another example of relaxed hospitality. A music event we had scheduled was cancelled due to rain. A few disappointed musicians and friends decided to have an impromptu jam session. A friend offered her home. They only moved in a few weeks ago so they aren’t totally settled in yet. However, this didn’t stop her. She quickly made a Facebook event and invited a couple dozen people. And this is the part I loved. She included this in the event info:

Oh, how I admire that! We had another event to attend first so we didn’t go over until after 9 p.m. We then spent the next couple of hours sitting on their enclosed porch lit solely by candlelight and listened to three of our musician friends take turns playing the guitar and singing. It was a wonderful night and one I won’t forget. All because our friend knows how to practice true hospitality. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I brought jello shots (left over from our music festival) and a few rolls of toilet paper.

Hospitality is something I want to get better at so I collected a few resources, for myself and to share with you.

I got the idea to write this post last week but hadn’t done so yet. I hadn’t mentioned it to anyone so imagine my surprise when I saw my daughter’s blog post Wednesday. This isn’t the first time we’ve had similar ideas for blog posts. She and our son-in-law just purchased their first house and are still getting settled in. Here is her post about hospitality:

Many years ago when I had two very small children, another aunt of mine taught a course on hospitality at our church. That is when I learned the difference between hospitality and entertaining. This is the book she used as a resource:

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

I haven’t read this next one yet but I plan to soon:

It’s good to avoid taking oneself too seriously and this next selection looks like a good reminder of that:

Finally, while looking for a quote about hospitality I ran across this little poem. I hadn’t thought of it in years but my grandmother had a little wooden plaque on her wall with this saying. I used to read it to myself over and over as a child. It’s probably been over 30 years since I’ve seen this but I still remembered every word:

So tell me, do you enjoy having guests? Do you have any favorite tips or suggestions?

It’s been over 20 years ago but I still remember exactly when I determined that volunteering is something that I *do* have time for.

I was working full-time as a hospice nurse, plus on-call hours. I also had two young children, a husband and a home to care for. To say I was busy would be an understatement. I did volunteer in my children’s classrooms by reading to the children once a week but I honestly didn’t think I had time for anything else.

Then one day I was reading our church newsletter and noticed the list of church members who had volunteered to deliver Meals On Wheels the previous month. Most were retired folks who had more time available for such things. But then I saw the name of a busy physician and it hit me. If she could take time out of her busy day to deliver meals, then there was no reason I couldn’t.

In the years since that epiphany I have volunteered my time to various organizations in our community. I continue to deliver Meals On Wheels, and in fact, did so today. I’ve served on boards for several local organizations and am currently the president of the board for our local homeless services organization.

My husband and I have recently started a non-profit which I’ll share more about as soon as our application for 501(c)(3) status has been approved. He is a volunteer firefighter, serves on the board for the fire department and is on a local emergency planning committee. We’ve both been active on church committees over the years although we are currently taking a break from those.

We have both found that our lives are richer for these experiences. The main focus of “Life With Dee” is to encourage us all to create a beautiful life. But that doesn’t apply just to our own, individual lives. The larger goal is to bring love, joy, and beauty into the lives of others and help make our communities better places to live.

There are countless ways to volunteer. It can be something as simple as picking up trash along a roadway or bringing cookies to an elderly neighbor.

“Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.” ~author unknown~

Do you volunteer? If so, I’d love to hear what you do. Leave me a comment and share what volunteering means to you.

The other day a friend shared a video in a Facebook group in which she showed us her “Morning Basket” and what it contained. I immediately fell in love with the idea and decided to create my own.

Earlier today I went to one of my favorite places – Staples (anyone else have an office supplies fetish?) – to buy a basket. I also needed some pens. Somehow I spent almost $75. Oops.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

The Contents of My Morning Basket

I just spent the past half hour putting together my Morning Basket. I started with my Happy Planner. I have to admit that I have not been using it much lately but I hope by having in my basket I’ll get back to it.

I’ve been reading through my Grandma’s Bible which she left me so I tucked that into the basket.

I love to color so my adult coloring book, Enchanting English Garden, is in there. I’m in the market for some new, high quality colored pencils to go with it. Any suggestions?

I used to buy and read magazines all the time. I’ve let all my subscriptions lapse but I have a number of lovely magazines I have picked up here and there but haven’t fully enjoyed. I tucked one in the basket for light reading.

Years ago I scored a complete set of Harvard Classics at a library book sale. I’ve read little snippets here and there but I’d like to read through the whole set. Yeah, huge goal! I put the first one of the set in my basket. If you’re interested, you can now download the entire 51-volume set as e-books for free. Here is the link.

I picked up Sarah Ban Breathnach’s book, Something More: Excavating Your Authentic Self, at a recent library sale. I’ve read a couple of her other books and enjoyed them. I like the fact that her books are written in short sections which makes them perfect for daily readings.

I have a habit of writing notes, lists and reminders on index cards or post-it notes. I put a packet of each, plus a small coupon file to corral them in the basket.

Julia Cameron, the author of The Artist’s Way, recommends “morning pages”, something I have done off and on. Okay, more “off” than “on” but I intend to get back to it. What are “morning pages”? Here you go:

“Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing,done first thing in the morning. *There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages*–they are not high art. They are not even “writing.” They are aboutanything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyesonly. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize andsynchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just putthree pages of anything on the page…and then do three more pages tomorrow.”

Along with the other items in my basket, I’m including an index card listing the steps in Hal Elrod’s book, The Miracle Morning.

I first read about this on Brocante Home. The book is in my Amazon wishlist and I am eager to read it. The author advocates the development of a six-step morning routine including silence, affirmations, visualization, scribing, reading and exercise. Ideally one would spend 10 minutes on each, thereby creating a one-hour morning routine.

So there you have it. The current contents of my Morning Basket. The idea is that instead of mindlessly scrolling through Facebook on my phone while drinking my morning tea, I’ll use the basket to inspire me and get the creative juices flowing. I will light a candle, turn on some soft music, then work on various things in my basket while enjoying my Earl Grey tea. I am pretty excited about this and very hopeful that my Morning Basket will help me start the day with purpose, learning, and creativity.

What do you think of this idea? Have you ever heard of a Morning Basket before? Do you have one? What would you include in yours? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

~~~~~

If your mornings are not what you’d like them to be…if you feel like you are spinning your wheels or things are simply chaotic…if you know your mornings could be calmer and more productive…I highly recommend Crystal Paine’s e-course, Make Over Your Mornings. I bought it several months ago and learned a lot my first time through it. I’m now ready to give it another once over. That’s the nice thing about it. Once you purchase it, you can do the course as many times as you desire. I printed out the accompanying PDF workbook and put it in a three ring binder for handy access.

I wrote about creating a morning routine several months ago. I’ve made some progress. For instance, I am now getting on the treadmill first thing in the morning. Yes, BEFORE tea! I listen to a podcast or watch a video while walking which helps the time go by more pleasantly.

Have you ever felt regret at the end of summer for all the things you didn’t do? I have. It’s all too easy to let the summer days slip by in a haze of heat and humidity. But I’m determined to not let that happen this year. I started making a list of the fun things I want to do this summer. I’m still working on it but I thought I’d share 10 things on my summer fun list with you today.

Dee’s Summer Fun List

1. Make homemade peach ice cream once a week throughout peach season.

There are peach orchards in a nearby town and I absolutely adore fresh peaches from the farmers market. Sadly, I didn’t make peach ice cream even once last summer. That’s not going to happen this year!

2.Go to an afternoon movie by myself at least once.

I’ll skip lunch and indulge in buttery popcorn and Raisinets while watching a movie all by myself.

3.Have fresh flowers in the house at all times.

Even if it’s a single carnation from the florist or something I cut from my own yard, I’m going to enjoy flowers every day.

4.Schedule lunch with my cousin in the city once a month then go to the museum afterwards.

I bought myself a season pass to the OKC museum a couple of months ago. They are hosting a Matisse exhibit this summer which I can’t wait to see.

5.Spend an afternoon simply driving the backroads and exploring.

The countryside is beautiful here in southeastern Oklahoma, especially right now before it gets too hot. This is one I need to do soon while all the wildflowers are still in bloom.

6. Stargaze with David in our backyard at least two or three times a week.

This is one of our favorite things to do together. We have zero gravity chairs so we can lean way back and enjoy the night sky. We also have a telescope. Last night we spent about 20 minutes stargazing while David had Sinatra playing quietly on his phone. We saw a shooting star and the lightning bugs were out. Sheer bliss.

7. Schedule at least three massages.

I always feel amazing after a massage but don’t get around to scheduling them very often. I’m going to schedule one right after our annual backyard music festival (I’ll need it!) and then while I’m there, go ahead and schedule one for July and another for August.

8. Buy myself some really good felt tip pens or colored pencils and spend some time every week with my coloring book.

Disclosure: This is an affiliate link.

9. Plan at least one day where I do nothing but read.

It’s been way too long since I’m allowed myself time to get totally immersed in a book for more than an hour or so. I’ll prepare for this day by cleaning house the day before and putting something in the crockpot for dinner. I may turn off the phone, too!

10. Go to the beach.

David and I are going to California for our 35th anniversary in June and I cannot wait! Sometimes my longing for the sea becomes intense. I’m about at that point so I’m grateful for this opportunity.

So there you go – the first 10 items on my summer fun to-do list. Do you make a list like this? If it’s coming up on summer in your part of the world, do you have any special plans? I’d love to hear about them. Leave me a comment and tell me how you have fun in the summer.

Creating a beautiful life is my passion. It’s a work in progress, though, so I continually seek out resources which inspire me. I look for people who not only share helpful information but also radiate joy.

Here are several online sources I adore and consider these lovely women my go-to gurus for living beautifully:

Resources for Creating a Beautiful Life

A little over a year ago I started listening to podcasts (I got hooked on Serial) and now hardly a day goes by that I don’t listen to at least one. I mentioned some of these resources in a post about life-changing podcasts but didn’t elaborate on them. Today I’m going to tell you more about them and why I include them in my “Beautiful Life Toolkit” (hey, that sounds like the topic for another post…hmm…). Not all of the resources I’m going to share today are podcasts but let’s start there.

Kimberly Wilson is the founder of Tranquil Space yoga studios, director of Tranquil Space Foundation and author of five books. Her website about page states:

“Tranquility du Jour is a blog and podcast with musings and interviews on a potpourri of my passions—yoga, mindfulness, giving back, animals, travel, writing, creativity, style, and, of course, tranquility.”

Kimberly’s focus is, as you might guess from the podcast title, tranquility. She places a lot of importance on creativity as a means of achieving a tranquil life.

“Creativity ensures there is a spark inside – even if you live or work in what you may perceive to be a non-creative setting. The art of creativity is finding that spark, making that spark, and keeping that spark alive. I think creativity is akin to self-discovery and ongoing happiness. Living in a creative way allows us to color outside the lines, push our edges, wear pink tights, don red lipstick and sparkles, write with a silver pen, and explore new places. By making creativity a priority, stagnation is less likely to occur, growth is inevitable, and, ideally, tranquility will be a part of the process.”

She has been doing podcasts since 2005 so there is a wealth of information and inspiration available on her site. In addition to her books, blog and podcasts, Kimberly also leads retreats (I would LOVE to attend Penning in Paris!), offers CDs and e-courses, and even has her own eco-friendly clothing line.

Here is a small sample of the information available on Kimberly Wilson’s site:

The name of Shannon Ables’ website is “The Simply Luxurious Life” with the tag line, “refined living on an everyday income”. Many times, lifestyle connoisseurs have much larger budgets than the average person which make a lot of their tips and suggestions beyond the reach of people with a middle class income. That’s not the case with Shannon.

Her mission statement is:

“The simply luxurious life is something that I believe every one of us can attain if indeed we are seeking quality rather than quantity, sensibility rather than frivolity, personal style rather than trendy fashions and a truly fulfilling life instead of being led around by the nose; thereby creating a life of true contentment.”

My favorite part of her blog is the “French-Inspired Living” page which is a collection of all her Francophile themed posts, books, websites, and destinations all in one place. If this sort of thing resonates with you, be sure to check out my own Francophile collection:

I found Tonya Leigh and her truly life-changing resources about a year ago. Down-to-earth, positive, and inspiring, Tonya’s words resonate deeply with me. Whether via her blog, podcast, Periscope, or private Facebook group, virtually everything this woman puts out there makes me want to be the best I can be.

This short blog/podcast of hers really spoke to me this week. It’s all too easy to rush through life and fail to notice all the beauty around us. But if we truly desire to create a beautiful life we must slow down and pay attention to “the beautiful things”.

“You cannot create a beautiful life by ignoring all the beauty that surrounds you.”

In the meantime I’ll be making sure I’ve seen all of her videos. This is one I watched the other day which really struck a chord with me. The only way I will be able to create the life I desire is to increase my self-discipline. I took a small step this morning by getting up earlier than usual and heading straight for the treadmill. That’s right. Treadmill before tea! Now let’s see if I can do it again tomorrow.

Finally, I want to tell you about a blog I’ve been reading for more than a decade. Brocante Home is the lovely work of Alison May, a woman who takes seriously the old adage, “Home is where the heart is.”.

“Home is where the heart is, a place of sanctuary…….your sanctuary. I have created my blog especially for people like you; women who love their home, a home that is inspirational, clean and will create a wonderful place where memories are made.

Join me and I will help you live a life less ordinary with daily guidance, inspirational courses and a membership where like-minded, creative women can talk and discover a more joyful way of life.”

Alison’s vintage-inspired housekeeping and lovely “puttery treats” will make you want to don an apron and devote a pleasant hour or two to making your home a warm and inviting sanctuary. Alison has done a major overhaul of the site and there are lots of exciting new features. This is one you won’t want to miss.

There are other sources of inspiration for the life I want to create and I’ll no doubt share more of them in future blog posts. But at this point in time, these five are at the top of my list and not a day goes by that I don’t glean something from one or more of them. If you, like me, desire to create a beautiful life I highly recommend the works of Kimberly, Shannon, Tonya, Jennifer and Alison. Check them out and then let me know what you think. And if you have other blogs, websites, books, videos or podcasts to recommend, do leave me a comment. I’m always looking for more ways to “create a beautiful life”.

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Welcome to Life With Dee!
I'm a Francophile with a hippie heart, trying to create a beautiful life in the country while dreaming of Paris. Join me as I share inspiration to help you create your own "beautiful life".